As the pair approaches their position, Omen rises and stands in the doorway to the building he and the other Architects are currently using as shelter. He remains silent, standing imperiously with his hands clasped together behind his back, watching wordlessly as they move closer.
The two notice Omen easily enough, the building offering minor shelter as it is, and approach calmly. "You there. This is a dangerous place to be at night. If this building is the place of your draw, you should have finished promptly and returned. Why do you linger?" The men have stopped roughly fifteen to twenty paces shy, and do not appear to be looking for a fight, though they are clearly guarded.
Omen gestures to the looming building across the road, "That was the building we drew. The feather-hatted fop Velrianna and her boorish Scorching Hand have tried at numerous turns to poach our draws out from under us. From here, we can keep vigil over our rightful claim while we regather our strength." He pauses for a moment, considering the pair he addresses. "If your patrol has wearied you at all, you are welcome to share our small fire for as long as your duties allow."
Brennan was usually a light sleeper, and the voices had him waking immediately. As he recognized Omen's tones, and the fact that the man didn't seem too concerned, he slid his readied dagger back under his blanket, then carefully sat up.
"What's going on? These guys giving us trouble for sleeping outside that death trap? Not too surprising. They've got a nice setup here, and you don't want vagrants clogging up the alleys and doorways."
Yodi groans faintly in his sleep, shifts uncomfortably, and rolls over.
The torchbearer looks at Omen with incredulity, but it is the other one that speaks. "If you can provide proof of this other group claiming your draw, we will deal with them when they return. As long as you claim nothing from this building," He looks over the place, which appears to be nothing more than a few low walls left, and continues "Then you may weather out the night within its doorway." The torchbearer gives his companion a wide-eyed look of urgency, but the speaker waves him off, and the nod to you before continuing along their way.
Omen glances to Brennan, "No, no trouble, Brennan. Merely performing their duty." He then turns back to the pair and nods. "As you say."
Once the two Voices are departed, Omen returns to spot beside their meager fire. He looks back to Brennan again, "My watch is yet young. Do you wish to return to your rest or remain up?"
"Nah, I'm not letting you out of your turn at watch. I'm going back to sleep. Wake me when your done, and not a moment earlier."
Brennan crawled back under his blanket and was soon back to sleep.
There was very little left to Omen's watch, Yodi's went uneventful, and he wakes Ciyradyl for hers before getting back to his own sleep. You all wake suddenly to the sound of Ciyradyl crying out in pain and surprise. Looking quickly her way you see a spider looking creature, that Brennan recognizes from his first draw, just miss her with a bite, before it follows up with sharp rending claws along her leg.
"Wretched creatures!" Omen rises and turns his stoic gaze upon the solifugid, then sends a frigid beam of blue and white lancing at it from an outstretched finger.
HP: 14/16
AC: 12 (11 T / 11 FF)
CMD: 10
F/R/W: +3/+2/+5 (+2 vs death effects)
Resist 7: acid, cold, fire, electricity
Omens used (swift demoralize): 0/1
Black Motes used: 7/8
Shield charges remaining: 14
Spell Slots Used
Level 1: 7/7
Ongoing Effects
Yodi swivels his head toward Cyl from his place on his bedroll. "Giant spiders!" He stands his spear vertical and clutches it to pull himself upright. Then he staggers toward the fight.
Standing quickly, Omen conjures up a beam of frigid energy from beyond, and manages to strike a glancing blow against the carapace of the creature. Yodi too stands from his bedroll, moving around behind Ciyradyl with his spear in hand.
Brennan leaped up, throwing off his blanket and grabbing a pair of knives, all in one smooth motion. He moved quickly, diving behind the solifugid and preparing to strike.
As Brennan dances up and around the creature, to take advantage of Ciyradyl's positioning, she takes a wounded and cautious step away from it. The move ruining any plans Brennan may have had with his positioning.
She focuses energies you have not seen her perform before, as a small swirl and rumble of sand and rock rise up from the ground in front of her. The earth begins to take the shape of a vaguely humanoid form. It turns to glance at Ciyradyl, and in return she says something in a deep gravelly voice, while pointing at the solifugid.
As soon as she speaks the words, the form turns and aggressively swings a large earthy fist at the big bug. He hits it solidly, but the thing moves enough to make it a glancing blow. Even with the move, it is a decent thunk of pain against the bug.
The solifugid focuses now on the new threat, lashing out with mandible and two snapping claws. The bite once more no purchase, but the claws tear into the earthy exterior of the small elemental, ripping chunks away.
Brennan looked on in disgust as Ciradyl moved away, but then smiled as he saw what was coming. It didn't matter to him who was distracting the oversized bug, only that he could have a chance to use the first rule of the blade: stick them with the pointy end.
+
+
Spear raised and directed at the giant spider, Yodi steps toward to apply the first rule of the spear.
...
Omen gestures again, and another frigid, needle-thin beam lances through the air toward the creature.
HP: 14/16
AC: 12 (11 T / 11 FF)
CMD: 10
F/R/W: +3/+2/+5 (+2 vs death effects)
Resist 7: acid, cold, fire, electricity
Omens used (swift demoralize): 0/1
Black Motes used: 7/8
Shield charges remaining: 14
Spell Slots Used
Level 1: 7/7
Ongoing Effects
Omen fires wide, now with all the crowd around the single small creature. It does not hinder Yodi though, as he stabs the thing hard through the tough hide. It looks to be barely able to crawl away at this point, but it doesn't stop Brennan. With blades crossed across the back, he pulls his knives past one another through the midsection of the bug. With a scissor-like action, he splits the body in two.
"Hate them damn things, and they stink to high heaven. What time is it? Seems like sleeping out here was no better than in there for disturbances."
"Right, then. The rest of you get some sleep so we can get a good start to the day. I'll finish up here."
Brennan dragged the solifugid carcass off a ways, then leaned back against the wall where he could look up and down both sides of the avenue and watch for any more nighttime surprises.
Omen nods once then returns to his uncomfortable mat and a fitful slumber.
Yodi nods, waves gratefully and returns to his bedroll, upon which he sinks prone and is soon snoring.
Brennan stands propped on watch for no more than an hour at best, before he sees the dance of firelight, rather bright, coming down the avenue from the northeast.
Brennan tucks himself behind a darkened corner of the ruined building as the source of the light rounds the bend. It is a small being comprised completely of fire. It moves down to the intersection of the road, and appears as if it might be looking for something. The wisps of flame dance and weave as it throws eerie shadows about the walls. Then the thing turns off down another street and shuffles away with its odd swaying gait.
Keeping to his hiding spot, Brennan watches as a decent sized snake slithers past, seemingly very intent on where it is headed. As it passes near enough for him to get a better look, he notices the glint of moonlight off the scales of the serpent. They have the look of metal, and he is reminded of the similar snake they fought within the first tomb they explored.
Just as everyone begins to rise for the day, finally feeling like there was rest gained, Brennan spots the little flame being come back by from where it headed, and depart again down the road it took to get to them the first time.
Yodi pulls himself haltingly to his feet. His veil has come loose in the night, and the scars and sores on his face are revealed. He turns away from the party to gather his goods, and refasten the veil.
"No one came in or out last night. We just have to get past that statue. I am sure there's treasure behind a guardian of its quality. We just need a better plan."
Moonlight Bridge (Su): You summon a bridge of shimmering moonlight. The 10-foot-wide span touches the ground at a point adjacent to your position. From this point it can extend in any direction for 10 feet per oracle level. The path persists until you have crossed over the bridge or for 24 hours, whichever is shorter. You may summon a moonlight bridge a number of times per day equal to your Charisma bonus. Should the bridge be attacked, treat it as a wall of force.
"If there is a way to definitely overcome the graven guardian's resilience, I do not know it. But that is not our only concern. The ahkhat also has yet to reveal itself." He shakes his head as he thinks on the matter, then continues after a brief introspective pause. "The guardian though did not rouse itself until you laid hands upon the staff it held. We could, at the least, be better positioned before waking it this time, with Brennan and Ciyradyl ready and poised to strike."
HP: 16/16
AC: 12 (11 T / 11 FF)
CMD: 10
F/R/W: +3/+2/+5 (+2 vs death effects)
Resist 7: acid, cold, fire, electricity
Omens used (swift demoralize): 0/1
Black Motes used: 0/8
Shield charges remaining: 14
Spell Slots Used
Level 1: 0/7
Ongoing Effects
"I doubt it was grasping the staff that awoke it. It probably just took time for it to sense that I was in the chamber. Maybe if we move quickly we can pass the doors before it wakes."
Omen turns to regard Yodi directly, "Do you no longer think the staff to be the prize held by this hollow ruin?"
"The real prize could be behind on of those doors. I don't know. If we can look behind them first, there's no harm done."
When Ciyradyl wakes in the morning, she still looks quite the worse for wear. The night's rest only did so much for her injuries. She moves towards the piles of heavy gear that she was helping to carry the day prior, "I don't mean to seem insensitive to your fallen comrade, but do you have anything among all this stuff that could help get me back on my feet? I would like to feel at least a little better before I recover my synthesis."
Casually flipping through the gear, but not committing to digging into it deeper in case it does bother the others, she offers in regards to the conversation of passing the guardian. "Let's look at what we know. It was motionless as the gate was opened, and reopened. It responded to Yodi's reach for the staff. It moved crazy fast and hit super hard, but it didn't chase us out. Once we were outside the gate, it stopped. Maybe that could work to our advantage?" She offers as a question.
Patting a belt of wands, she also suggests, "I have some defenses at my disposal while synthesized that make me pretty hard to hit and hurt, but once that's gone I don't have much to me without my second form."
"Well, I'm fully healed now, thanks to Yodi's wand. And yeah, I can use that wand, though maybe with a little work."
Before going back into the building, Yodi uses his wand to heal some of Ciyradyl's wounds.
In the small chamber at the foot of the stairs, Yodi lays hands on Brennan and Ciyradyl wishes confusion on the instruments of Nethys. He removes his pack and moves the curing wand to his belt, so that it will be handy when needed.
"There's only two options, really. We move in and hit hard and fast, or we try and rush past it and close the doors behind us. If that construct really is there to guard that room only, maybe we could get past, but I think we'd take a lot of hurt in the process. I say we just hit it with everything we've got and hope it goes down."
Omen nods, "Best to deal with the threat now and not give it the opportunity of complicating another trial later. Let us proceed."
"I will not argue. Let us reduce this guardian to dust and take the treasure he guards."
Yodi checks his gear one last time. The curing wand, his weapons, his belt pouch.
"I almost forgot. I've two vials of oil, infused with magic to enchant a weapon. Can anyone use them?"
"Yeah, slather those babies up. Every bit helps, you know?"
[ooc]Brennan will take one or both oils and prepare his daggers.,[/oo]
Ciy shakes her head at Yodi's offer, "If I got the adamantine, let Brennan use both the oils for his knives. They may need the extra push."
Once everyone has readied themselves, Brennan unlocks the self-closing gate once more, and the group moves in with a quickness to deal with the statue. As a vigilant guardian is wont to do, the thing reacts with alacrity in response to whatever the trigger seems to be before everyone can get too far in.
Springing to life, however, is not enough to react for the group's new preparations. The rush of the crew catches the statue as off guard as something of its nature can be. Ciyradyl rushes in almost as if she has a vendetta against the thing, swinging the heavy flail awkwardly in both hands. Her method and angle are just too off for her to connect effectively enough to damage the thing, but she just may have gotten its attention.
Yodi steps forward, concentrates, and asks any god who's listening to help smite the statue.
Brennan moved in quickly, daggers flashing to hold the thing's stave away. Then, with Criadyl ont eh other side, he lashed out with his left hand dagger.
+
Yodi moves into the room with a prayer on his lips, asking for aid to his allies and himself. Brennan moves into the room opposite where Ciyradyl stands in relation to the statue. Lashing out with his left, his blade just barely glances off the solid surface of the statue.
Knowing the threat the guardian poses, Omen holds none of his power back as the fight begins. He gestures from his spot at the door and conjures forth a pair of glossy black shards of void-stuff that dart toward their animate foe.
HP: 16/16
AC: 12 (11 T / 11 FF)
CMD: 10
F/R/W: +3/+2/+5 (+2 vs death effects)
Resist 7: acid, cold, fire, electricity
Omens used (swift demoralize): 0/1
Black Motes used: 0/8
Shield charges remaining: 13
Spell Slots Used
Level 1: 1/7
Ongoing Effects